The Meaning of Matthew 1:12 Explained

Matthew 1:12

KJV: And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

YLT: And after the Babylonian removal, Jeconiah begat Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel,

Darby: And after the carrying away of Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel, and Salathiel begat Zorobabel,

ASV: And after the carrying away to Babylon, Jechoniah begat Shealtiel; and Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  after  they were brought  to Babylon,  Jechonias  begat  Salathiel;  and  Salathiel  begat  Zorobabel; 

What does Matthew 1:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 1:1-17 - The Line By Which Messiah Came
The enumeration of our Lord's ancestors, with its threefold division into fourteen generations and evident gaps, was probably so arranged to aid the memory. Notice that, in unison with the general purpose of the writer, the line is traced to Abraham through David the king. Of course we know that Joseph was only the reputed father of Jesus, Matthew 1:18; but in any case this genealogy conformed to Hebrew usage and explained how the birth took place in David's city.
In this list of names the patriarchs, Gentiles, women of doubtful character, good men and bad men, the wise, the illustrious, the unknown-all supply important links. It is as though to teach us that in the Son of man there is a blending of all classes, that He might be the representative and helper of all. Each of us may find some point of contact in this genealogy. Jesus Christ belongs to our race. He knew what was in man by that subtle and intimate knowledge which comes of kinship. In Him, therefore, is neither Jew nor Greek exclusively, but all are one in Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 1

1  The genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Joseph
18  He is miraculously conceived of the Holy Spirit by the Virgin Mary
19  The angel satisfies the doubts of Joseph,
21  and declares the names and office of Jesus;
25  Jesus is born

What do the individual words in Matthew 1:12 mean?

After then the carrying away to Babylon Jeconiah begat - Shealtiel Shealtiel Zerubbabel
Μετὰ δὲ τὴν μετοικεσίαν Βαβυλῶνος Ἰεχονίας ἐγέννησεν τὸν Σαλαθιήλ Σαλαθιὴλ Ζοροβαβέλ

Μετὰ  After 
Parse: Preposition
Root: μετά  
Sense: with, after, behind.
μετοικεσίαν  carrying  away 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: μετοικεσία  
Sense: removal from one abode to another, esp.
Βαβυλῶνος  to  Babylon 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: Βαβυλών  
Sense: a very large and famous city, the residence of the Babylonian kings, situated on both banks of the Euphrates.
Ἰεχονίας  Jeconiah 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰεχονίας  
Sense: was the son of Jehoiakim, and for three months and ten days king of Judah until Nebuchadnezzar carried him into captivity (597 BC).
ἐγέννησεν  begat 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γεννάω  
Sense: of men who fathered children.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Σαλαθιήλ  Shealtiel 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Σαλαθιήλ  
Sense: the son of Jeconiah in the genealogy of Christ.
Σαλαθιὴλ  Shealtiel 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Σαλαθιήλ  
Sense: the son of Jeconiah in the genealogy of Christ.
Ζοροβαβέλ  Zerubbabel 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ζοροβαβέλ  
Sense: the head of the tribe of Judah at the time of the return from Babylonish captivity in the first year of Cyrus.